# Latakia Aversion Therapy



## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

I don't like latakia. There's a soapy taste I get whenever I smoke it that I find very unpleasant. I know, however, that because of this, I am missing out on a great number of highly recommended tobaccos. So, my plan is to start with flavorful blends with very small amounts of latakia and see if in time I can get past this. I now smoke almost exclusively VA, VA/Per and some burley blends. What would you recommend as a good blend to start with?


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Maybe you could buy some blending latakia and add a little to what you already smoke to see if you can find a liking for it. I don't really know of any blends that are super lite on latakia. I favored the latakia/virginia blends or balkan blends when I liked latakia


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## Mitch (Oct 2, 2009)

McB Plumcake has a small amount of latakia.


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

I can't stand the taste of latakia either. To me, it tastes like salted fish, yuck! uke:


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

I enjoy latakia blends while I am smoking them, I just wish the room didn't smell like a rotting corpse when you come back in 20 minutes later. :bounce:


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## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

indigosmoke said:


> I enjoy latakia blends while I am smoking them, I just wish the room didn't smell like a rotting corpse when you come back in 20 minutes later. :bounce:


Maybe I need to rethink whether I'm really missing anything here.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Pugsley said:


> Maybe I need to rethink whether I'm really missing anything here.


Nah...go ahead and try them. Just smoke them outside! Seriously, have you tried Frog Morton? Latakia for sure but a very mild blend nevertheless.


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## slyder (Mar 17, 2009)

Now i love latakia. Dunhill 965, Frog Morton are 2 really good ones. I have been digging the Pipe & Cigars bulk matches for 965 and EMP. Just got their Sunjammer which is similar to 965 but its sweeter and the latakia isnt as strong.


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## StufnPuf (Oct 8, 2009)

I second EMP its awesome!


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Pugsley said:


> Maybe I need to rethink whether I'm really missing anything here.


The only thing you're missing is the experience, nothing more IMO


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

I don´t enjoy perique very much, so I don´t smoke it. Well, I have some St. James Flake in a mason jar and every 3 months or so I have a little bowl of it, just to see if my taste changes. Obviously, there are many praised blends of the stuff, but there are so many good ones of virginias, orientals and englishes that I don´t feel I'm missing something.
Bottom line is to smoke what one enjoys the most, although being open to periodical experiences is a good thing. 

About blends with low latakia content... I like EMP, but IMO it tastes a little like cigarettes (which some people dislike). Never tried Plumcake, but for what I read it could be a good option for you. Frog Morton on the Town has a marshmellow sweetness (maybe you would enjoy that, I don´t know). There's also SG's Navy Flake, which I never tried either, but it's an unusual VA/Latakia flake cased with rum.


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## michwen (Oct 9, 2008)

Mad Hatter said:


> The only thing you're missing is the experience, nothing more IMO


I agree, why smoke something you dont like? It´s like when you where a kid and your parents forced you to eat something you didn´t like, you don´t eat that know, do you? I sure don´t!


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## juni (Oct 16, 2009)

I mixed a tiny amount of Squadron Leader with Amphora at first to mellow the taste out. Having said that, if you don't like latakia - don't get Squadron Leader.


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

I would also recomment trying Frog Morton, it's quite mild & has a very nice smokiness to it. My top 3 Latakia tobaccos are Spillman's, Frog Morton, & Westminster, in no particular order.

Keep in mind I don't smoke Latakias too much, only once or twice a week, I have been enjoying that Old Dublin though!

If you would like I'd be more than willing to send you a few samples to try so you don't have to commit to full tins.


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## SmokinJohnny (Jan 21, 2009)

Dan Tobacco Gordon Pym has a small amount of latakia. It's a tasty, cool burning, mellow english/balkan blend. It's an excellent smoke and I love it. It's also easy to load and light and it stays lit with very little effort.


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## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

michwen said:


> I agree, why smoke something you dont like? It´s like when you where a kid and your parents forced you to eat something you didn´t like, you don´t eat that know, do you? I sure don´t!


I didn't like beer the first time I tried it, but to my great good fortune, (and to the detriment of my ever-expanding waistline), I did learn to love it.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

If you don't like latakia, there's no real reason to force it upon yourself. But if you must, I think Mad Hatter's suggestion of getting a tin of blending latakia (straight latakia) and adding it to whatever blends you like is a good one.

On the other hand, it may be the other oriental tobaccos that you don't like. In a balkan blend, there may be one or more orientals along with the latakia. So trying a few puffs of straight latakia or mixed 50-50 with a straight virginia might help you pin down if it's latakia or something else that you don't like.


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## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

dmkerr said:


> If you don't like latakia, there's no real reason to force it upon yourself.


I'm still quite new at this and in the beginning I was like a kid in a candy store with a pocketful of quarters, I ordered everything that looked or sounded good based on the recommendations here and other places. So I now find myself with somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 assorted tins of tobacco that contain latakia. I don't want to trade these away untried, and my reasoning was that if I could determine which ones had the smallest amounts of latakia I may, in time, come to appreciate it. It's not about forcing myself to do something I find unpleasant, i just don't want to limit myself to the VA's and VA/PER's I started with. As everyone knows, tastes change over time and I'm sure mine will as well.


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Pugsley said:


> I'm still quite new at this and in the beginning I was like a kid in a candy store with a pocketful of quarters, I ordered everything that looked or sounded good based on the recommendations here and other places. So I now find myself with somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 assorted tins of tobacco that contain latakia. I don't want to trade these away untried, and my reasoning was that if I could determine which ones had the smallest amounts of latakia I may, in time, come to appreciate it. It's not about forcing myself to do something I find unpleasant, i just don't want to limit myself to the VA's and VA/PER's I started with. As everyone knows, tastes change over time and I'm sure mine will as well.


One thing you might consider is adding a little ground rope to your latakia blends. Latakia never hits the spot for me and I find it to be weak despite the reputation some blends have for kicking ass.


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## michwen (Oct 9, 2008)

Pugsley said:


> I'm still quite new at this and in the beginning I was like a kid in a candy store with a pocketful of quarters, I ordered everything that looked or sounded good based on the recommendations here and other places. So I now find myself with somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 assorted tins of tobacco that contain latakia. I don't want to trade these away untried, and my reasoning was that if I could determine which ones had the smallest amounts of latakia I may, in time, come to appreciate it. It's not about forcing myself to do something I find unpleasant, i just don't want to limit myself to the VA's and VA/PER's I started with. As everyone knows, tastes change over time and I'm sure mine will as well.


Ok, i can understand that. Then i would go with dmkerrs suggestion, it may be the orientals you dont like.
Good luck, pal! ipe:


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Pugsley said:


> I'm still quite new at this and in the beginning I was like a kid in a candy store with a pocketful of quarters, I ordered everything that looked or sounded good based on the recommendations here and other places. So I now find myself with somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 assorted tins of tobacco that contain latakia. I don't want to trade these away untried, and my reasoning was that if I could determine which ones had the smallest amounts of latakia I may, in time, come to appreciate it. It's not about forcing myself to do something I find unpleasant, i just don't want to limit myself to the VA's and VA/PER's I started with. As everyone knows, tastes change over time and I'm sure mine will as well.


Can you provide a list of the tins you have? I think between all the members here, we could probably get you started. You might, if you have not already done so, buy yourself some small size mason jars and cellar the ones you don't like. As with a person's taste in tobacco, the tobacco itself changes over time. During your experiments, you might also try different pipes. I never liked Rattray's Black Mallory (heavy balkan) tobacco until I tried it in a meerschaum pipe.


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## bkeske (Oct 28, 2009)

Pugsley,

Have you ever tried S.G. Squadron Leader?

I am just trying it for the first time, and when I dumped it into my storage container, I must say, I really thought it was going to be disappointing, as I do love latakia blends....strong latikia blends like Brebbia Balkan, Charing Cross, 'Stoky's' Balkan Supreme, etc.

Lit up my first bowl, and though it has hints of latikia, it is very light, and more of an oriental English blend. The first quarter bowl did not do much,but then at just above the 2/3 bowl mark, it became very very rich and creamy. Wow, subtle stuff, and really delightful.

Squadron Leader may be a good into into these blends, and may lead to an appreciation of stronger latikia blend. Another may be 'Stoky's' English Supreme. A bit stronger than Squadron, but also lighter on the latikia than my other blends mentioned above.


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## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

dmkerr said:


> Can you provide a list of the tins you have?


Here you go:

C&D Purple Cow
MB Plumcake
Red Raparee
SG Squadron Leader
SG Bracken Flake
Peterson Old Dublin
Various incarnations of Frog Morton
Spilman's Mix
G.L. Pease Maltese Falcon

Multiples of some of these plus a few baggies of bulk tobaccos from local B&Ms. (And a few that on closer inspection don't contain any latakia although I thought they did.)


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

I'd recommend Red Rapparee and Frogmorton On The Town. The first has moderate latakia and a plethora of various orientals and the latter is light on both. Compare them to , perhaps Spilman.

See if any of those are close to something you might like or if they're all way off base. They're all pretty different but the first two focus on something other than latakia.

Should be interesting. Report back on your findings.


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## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

dmkerr said:


> I'd recommend Red Rapparee and Frogmorton On The Town. The first has moderate latakia and a plethora of various orientals and the latter is light on both. Compare them to , perhaps Spilman.
> 
> See if any of those are close to something you might like or if they're all way off base. They're all pretty different but the first two focus on something other than latakia.
> 
> Should be interesting. Report back on your findings.


Frog Morton it will be then. (Been looking for an excuse to crack that open.) Now I just have to decide which pipe and I'll give it a try tonight.


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## Old_Salt (Feb 25, 2008)

GLP's Fillmore actually has a very small amt. of Lat. in it. I'd suggest a tin of it.
followed up with westminster or Davidoff Royalty.
EMP is almost as good as Westminst .but too hard to come by.

I really like S. G. Navy Flake, but you may need to work into it a little at a time.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Pugsley said:


> Frog Morton it will be then. (Been looking for an excuse to crack that open.) Now I just have to decide which pipe and I'll give it a try tonight.


Well, there's a Frogmorton and a Frogmorton On The Town (as well as the Froggies Across The Pond and On The Bayou). If you have On The Town, that's the one I'd try first, although I suppose any suggestion is as good as any other. 

On The Town has a nice creamy, sweet flavor due to the addition of oriental leaf (Drama or Izmir, I forget which) and a lighter body of latakia.


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## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

I have Frog Morton, F.M. On The Town, Across The Pond and On The Bayou.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

I'm not really a latakia fan, but I do enjoy a pinch of penzance every now and again.


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

Pugsley said:


> Here you go:
> 
> C&D Purple Cow
> MB Plumcake
> ...


You're all setup, Pugs!
From those, Red Rapparee and Plumcake are very light on latakia.
Squadron Leader and Frog Morton on the Town are not heavy, either.

As dmkerr said, you should start by recognizing the differences between blends with and without oriental leafs (other than latakia).
Try some Red Rapparee and some Old Dublin. The first has lots of orientals and just a little latakia (not more then 10%, for sure). Old Dublin is a classic smoky virginia/latakia blend, with some cavendish which gives it a creamy body.
That experience should help you aknowledge clearly the difference between latakia and other oriental leafs, and help you decide what you may enjoy the most.
Then, if you want to try spmething in between, a balanced latakia/orientals blend, Squadron Leader is a great example.

About Frog Morton on the Town, be aware that the sweetness you'll taste there is quite uncommon and you'll not find it in most english blends.


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## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

Well, I tried the FM on the town. Very strong taste of latakia on the first light, then it toned down and faded in and out the rest of the way. I don't think the sweetness in this blend helped it, sort of like smoking honey flavored soap. I'll try it a few more times, but this is not a promising start.


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## Davetopay (Jan 19, 2008)

WHat about latakia is off putting for you? Smell? Taste? Texture/feel?

I am finding that I am NOT a fan of heavy handed latakia blends in the way I once thought I might be. But, I am finding that there are a few blends where it is a condiment or side dish if you will that can keep a blend a little more interesting. I think, for me, that in some cases the latakia is used to make a mixture a bit less one dimensional because the other leaf in the mix lacks personality, but in doing so, the latakia becomes the only attraction. Things I DO like with latakia on a regular basis: Plumcake, Waterloo #2, Gawith 1820, Bob's Chocolate Flake...those are MY go to tins. But please take my advice with a grain of salt as I just don't buy that much latakia based baccy to begin with.


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## Mitch (Oct 2, 2009)

Pugsley said:


> Well, I tried the FM on the town. Very strong taste of latakia on the first light, then it toned down and faded in and out the rest of the way. I don't think the sweetness in this blend helped it, sort of like smoking honey flavored soap. I'll try it a few more times, but this is not a promising start.


I am not a fan of Latakia, but I do like McBs plumcake. I barely noticed the latakia until the other night toward the bottom of the bowl. I think the regular frog morton is ok too. If it turns out you don't like the plumcake, maybe we can make a trade.


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## MasonM (Nov 1, 2009)

As someone who enjoys Latakia, I think finding some Tinder Box Sherlock's Choice may be a way to go with a mild Latakia flavor if you're really interested in developing a taste for it. But frankly, if you don't like Latakia just smoke something else. It's not like there aren't other choices out there.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

My latakia exploration has been a bust as well, Warren. I started off with Squadron Leader back when I got back into pipes (the first couple of months of it, anyway) and loved it, but thought there would be something even better out there. After trying about eight or so others, I've decided that either I just like Squadron Leader for some reason, or it was all an illusion. Sqaudron Leader will be in my next order to find out.

I really wanted to like latakia; the aroma is just fantastic!


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

Another thing to consider: maybe you don´t enjoy Cyprian latakia, but enjoy Syrian latakia. Those two varieties are different enough to be possible that someone loves one and doesn´t like the other.
Syrian is not as smokey, is more subtle and leathery like... try some MacBaren Vintage Syrian or other syrian blend (FM Across the Pond has it, I think).


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Pugsley said:


> Well, I tried the FM on the town. Very strong taste of latakia on the first light, then it toned down and faded in and out the rest of the way. I don't think the sweetness in this blend helped it, sort of like smoking honey flavored soap. I'll try it a few more times, but this is not a promising start.


Ok, that helps. It sounds like the oriental isn't the problem (unless you don't like honey!) but the latakia tastes like soap. You may be someone who just doesn't like latakia. No shame there! But I'll be interested in your assessment of Red Rap and a blend that's heavier on the latakia. Requiem's take on Syrian vs Cyprian is also a good one. The two are quite different.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

dmkerr said:


> If you don't like latakia, there's no real reason to force it upon yourself...


Beg pardon... pardon. Strongly disagree. Point of disagreement here.

The reason to force it upon yourself would be to benefit me, Mister Moo. Stop the lily-dipping lollygagging toe-dipping and just get to it. Get you a can of Smokers Haven 20th Anniversary Imported and smoke the stuff in a clean latakia-dedicated pipe. There is nothing else smoother, sweeter or more cleverly blended, thank you house of Germain. If you don't like it after, like, two bowls, there is NO point in going on. Send it to me. Lesson learned for under $35. You're welcome. Glad to assist.



dmkerr said:


> I'd recommend Red Rapparee...


The can is too small. Smokers Haven comes in the familiar 8-oz latakia magnum.
Frog Morton is for sissies.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

In the great debate of who's is bigger (subtitled: Keeping Up With The Moos'es), I get my Red Rap in 17.5 oz bags. :boom:


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## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

Day 2, Mac Baren's Plumcake in an unsmoked cob with the morning coffee. This is nice. The latakia is not a major player here and blends quite well into the background, a very enjoyable smoke. Sorry Mitch, I won't be trading this tin away.


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## Mitch (Oct 2, 2009)

Pugsley said:


> Day 2, Mac Baren's Plumcake in an unsmoked cob with the morning coffee. This is nice. The latakia is not a major player here and blends quite well into the background, a very enjoyable smoke. Sorry Mitch, I won't be trading this tin away.


LOL, dang. I figured you would like it. the latakia is vary faint, barely noticeable. I love Plumcake, good stuff.


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## stoked (Nov 30, 2009)

Hey,


My first Latakia was Germains and I like the taste ok but I found there was a smell like cumin stuck to my clothes which can come off like BO. I checked the calendar and I wasn't due for shower for another month or so...

So I was off Latakia for a while - til I tried McB plumbcake. Damn that stuff is good. Then I got some Frog Morton's on the Town - another hit. SG Navy flake is good too. 

So my problem is with Germains - now I use it mostly for blending where I want a hint of Latakia in something else. 

I guess there are different latakias that are smoke cured with different woods. And there are blends that have anywhere from 5 - 40 percent latakia. Find ones you like.


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